X86 Host Systems
OpenVMS, Tru64 or Solaris software will not run on modern X86 hardware out of the
box, due to the architectural differences between the old systems and modern host enviroments with X86 architecture.
In order to let your OpenVMS/Tru64/Solaris based applications run in
this new X86 environment without changes, you a need a
"translator" to bridge the gap between the old and new worlds. And
that is where the AVTware solutions come in. These handle the
connection between the old and the new world,
without causing complications
for your software.
It is referred to as "Emulation" or "Hardware Virtualization".
Total Virtualization
vtVAX and vtAlpha enable the original Alpha and VAX software to
communicate with device types that were never supported by the
original versions of OpenVMS and Tru64.
vtSparc does the same for Sparc systems running Solaris.
Simply attache modern storage devices to your Alpha/VAX/Sparc based software, without it even noticing this modernization.
Or you can use modern networking (i.e. 10 Gbps, VLAN).
In the enclosed example a virtual Alpha runs inside the vtServer Hypervisor, connecting with the modern IT-infrastructure through vtAlpha and vtServer. OpenVMS interacts with what it thinks is KZPBA SCSI and DE500 Ethernet. On the X86 host that its data is stored on SATA disks or the company SAN (3PAR, EMC, Hitachi, and others). Or networking via a 1 Gbps network link, perhaps shared with other virtualized hardware instances on the same host.
Bare Metal Host
The AVTware solution will install directly on top of the X86 host system (be it hardware, virtual machine or Cloud). There is no need for a separate Windows or Linux layer. Everything you need to control the virtual products via the host is included in our product (Bare Metal Installation).
The Bare Metal approach brings the following benefits:
- No purchase or maintenance costs for extra operating systems;
- No superfluous layer between your virtual Alpha/VAX/Sparc and the hardware they run on, providing increased stability and security;
- No compatibility issues due to the various layers evolving independently of one another;
- A true virtual VAX/Alpha/Sparc, not some Windows/Linux application that is managed under that regime.
Virtual Machine Host
Many of our customers use some type of Virtual Machine product as the IT infrastructure in their organization. This can be directly on hardware, or on a Virtual Machine or Cloud environment
Special Virtual Machine functions like Live Host Migration are supported when the tolerance levels for host hardware time-outs in OpenVMS/Tru64/Solaris are properly set.
The installation and daily operation of your virtual Alpha, VAX or Sparc are the same as with the original hardware.
